Common Causes of a Vehicle that Vibrates While Driving

A vibrating vehicle is no fun to drive. In this article, Car Talk experts break down the most common causes of a vehicle that vibrates, why you should not panic, and how to diagnose a vibration issue.

Vibration, shuddering, shaking, wobbling, and similar symptoms are some of the top reasons car owners seek help in the Car Talk Community. While a vibration in the steering wheel can be a minor annoyance you can live with, it could also signal an easily correctable issue or one that should be dealt with for safety reasons. The good news is that most vibration issues are easy to resolve and inexpensive to fix. We will break down the causes of a vehicle that vibrates, starting with the most likely causes and working our way down to the unusual ones.

Your Car Is Shaking and Vibrating - Moving or Parked

The first thing a mechanic will want to know if you report a car that is vibrating or shaking is, “Does it do it when it is running while parked, or only when you are moving along?” A car that vibrates and shakes when parked does not have a problem related to the wheels, driveshaft, or CV joints. The simple reason is that they are not moving. By asking this question, your mechanic can narrow down the causes significantly.

Your Car Is Vibrating - Wheel or Seat?

If your car is vibrating or shaking, the second question your mechanic might ask is, “Is the vibration being felt by you in the steering wheel or in the seat?” What your mechanic is asking here is how you sense the vibrations. The reason for her asking is that if you feel the vibration primarily in the steering wheel, it signals a likely front tire or front suspension and steering-related cause. If the steering wheel is not the primary way you sense the vibrations, the cause is likely not from one of these sources.

Just do your best to explain the feeling. Your mechanic will test-drive the vehicle, but all mechanics strive for any easy-to-obtain info when a customer comes in for help.

Vibrating Car? It’s Most Likely Tire-Related

Here is the good news; If your car is vibrating and you feel it when the vehicle is rolling along, the chances are excellent that it isn’t a terribly expensive thing causing the issue. Most cars that vibrate when rolling along have a tire-related issue that can be resolved quite quickly. If the vehicle vibrates mainly at highway speeds, this is usually a good sign that the tires are presenting the problem.

Your tires are not perfectly round when they leave the factory. Nor are the rims onto which they are mounted. When your tires are installed, the technician or mechanic will “balance” the tires. They should do this by using a high-tech machine that they put the tire onto and then spin the tire at high speed. The machine monitors the way the tire is rotating, and it identifies where the mechanic can mount some small weights to make the tire roll more smoothly.

An imbalance of just a fraction of an ounce can cause vibration. Balancing a tire typically costs less than $50 and takes five minutes. Balancing all four is usually under $100, but prices vary from free to about $200. If you bought your tires from a local chain or dealer, go back to that same location. Most tire retailers will re-balance the tires they sold you at no cost.

If your tire was fine on the day you bought it or bought the car, and then it later started vibrating, it could be that one of the small weights fell off. Another cause could be that wear of the tire changed the geometry enough that a rebalance will solve the issues.

Sometimes a tire is damaged from everyday use. A monster pothole or the new pavement edge where a road being repaved meets the old pavement may cause a problem. In this case, a new tire is the solution.

If your mechanic suggests new tires and an alignment after troubleshooting a tire-related vibration, do not be surprised. Most tire-related vibrations start after the tires have been in service for a while, and they may simply be worn out in addition to being shaky. A visit for a new tire balancing is a great time to have other work done. A tire rotation, oil change, brake inspection, and maybe a brake fluid change. Why waste the trip?

Steering and Suspension

If your tires are OK, the mechanic will next closely inspect all of the steering and suspension components for damage or excessive wear and tear. A problem of this type is less common, but also still not a budget-buster in most cases. Here your cost will range from nearly free to a few hundred dollars in most cases. Much of the cost will be shop time diagnosing the issue.

CV Joints and Driveshafts

One possible cause of a vehicle that vibrates while it is rolling is a powertrain issue related to the way your car’s power is sent from the engine or transmission to the wheels. Problems with a constant velocity joint or a driveshaft are more expensive but relatively simple work for the mechanic to perform.

Vibrations Problems When the Car is Not Moving

If your car shakes or vibrates more than it used to when it is running but in park, you likely have a problem related to the systems running off of the engine’s accessory belt, the engine itself, or the transmission. Please don't panic yet, there is plenty of time for that later. Your problem could simply be a radiator fan that threw a blade. Think positive, but have a mechanic check it out.

If the vehicle is vibrating, but you are not getting any warning lights, such as the Check Engine Light, this is a good thing. Perhaps the issue can be resolved at a low cost? Bring it in for a close inspection.

Some Things To Check Yourself

If your car is vibrating and driving you nuts, but you like to be involved in your own repairs, there are some things you can do to narrow down the possibilities. Grab a drop cloth, your tire pressure gauge, a few paper towels, and a flashlight.

First, check your tire pressure. The proper setpoints are on a sticker affixed to the inside of your driver’s side door. If any are off by more than 5 psi, you may have solved the problem. This is a long shot, but why not check?

While you are putting a hole in the knee of your jeans, use the light to look closely for bubbles, carbuncles, and tears in the tire sidewalls. Use that drop cloth and look at the inside-facing side walls too. Any defects may be your problem. While you are looking up under the car, look at the CV joint boots. They are like black rubber accordion-looking things. Are any torn? Is there grease all over the inside of one wheel well? If so, you have a CV joint to repair. Don’t panic. A CV joint is not the end of the world.

If your car is old and you see any old spots where tire weights were, it could be that the last balance simply removed them and put them in new places, which is normal. If your car is new and you see a spot where a weight used to be, that is a likely clue. An old tire weight spot may have a bit of sticky tape still stuck on it. Check your fluid levels according to your manual. While you have the hood up, check out the engine accessory drive belt. If it’s all gnarly and hairy looking, that is a clue for sure. Look at your radiator fans. Are any blades missing? If so, you found the issue for sure.

In summary, if your car is vibrating and shaking, get it to your mechanic for a look-over. The majority of vibrant problems end up being low-cost and tire-related.

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